By Terna Chikpa
Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has approved N2.5 billion in intervention funds to cushion the economic hardship among vulnerable households, empower youths and accelerate recovery in communities affected by communal crises.
The governor announced the approvals on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during his statewide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
Kefas also exercised his constitutional powers under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to grant executive pardons to 24 reformed inmates, following the recommendation of the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.
Breaking down the N2.5 billion intervention, the governor said N500 million had been earmarked for the six-month TARABA CARES Social Investment and Poverty Relief Programme, scheduled to run from October 2026 to March 2027.
He said the programme would specifically support indigent households, widows, persons with disabilities and the elderly without political bias.
The governor also announced an additional N1 billion injection into the Taraba State Youth Development Agency to finance vocational skills acquisition and enterprise support.
Another N1 billion intervention fund, he said, would be dedicated to rebuilding livelihoods and providing relief materials to communities affected by crises in Karim Lamido Local Government Area and other parts of the state.
Kefas said, “Independence must mean that a poor family’s child can access quality education, a pregnant woman can enter a clinic without fear, and our farmers can reach markets profitably.
“Leadership must be measured by what it does for the people. These three interventions represent N2.5 billion in approved funding. Every single naira must serve its intended purpose, and the implementing agencies will publicly account for every kobo.”
On infrastructure and the prolonged hardship caused by the collapse of the Namnai Bridge along the Jalingo-Wukari Federal Highway, Kefas issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state Ministry of Works and the Secretary to the State Government to engage the North-East Development Commission, NEDC, the Federal Ministry of Regional Development and the contractor to agree on a realistic completion timetable.
“The people do not need another speech about Namnai Bridge; they need a safe, completed bridge. Repeated assurances without visible progress are no longer enough,” he said.
Addressing concerns over the state’s debt profile, the governor said he welcomed responsible scrutiny, accountability and fact-based criticism but rejected the use of incomplete figures and distorted records to frighten the public.
He said, “Borrowing is not automatically evidence of failure; what matters is whether it is lawful, affordable, transparent, and invested productively. Our books must be open to lawful scrutiny, and I take full responsibility for our financial decisions.”
Kefas also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government over Nigeria’s September 17, 2026, victory at the International Chamber of Commerce arbitration tribunal, which, according to him, cleared legal hurdles stalling the multi-billion-dollar Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
He, however, said Taraba would not depend solely on the federal dam, directing the State Electricity Commission to open the state’s intrastate electricity market to credible mini-hydro and solar investors under the Electricity Act 2023.
Other key policy announcements in the broadcast included the planned rollout of the Taraba Teachers’ Welfare, Professionalisation and Housing Programme in 2027, the unveiling of the 168-Ward Quick Impact Development Programme before the end of October 2026, and an upcoming multi-stakeholder summit on October 3 to regulate artisanal mining and tackle environmental pollution, mercury poisoning and child labour.